


I Miss The Colorful Birds

by SnowBlizzard



Series: TimDami One-shots [3]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Attempt at Humor, But i kinda like it, Damian Wayne Feels, Damian Wayne is Bad at Feelings, Damian's a fluffball, Dry Humping, Fluff and Smut, Hand Jobs, Living Together, M/M, Sharing a Bed, Tim Drake Knows, Tiny bit of Angst, love-pollen (?), the scientific side of this is bad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-13 12:35:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28778394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnowBlizzard/pseuds/SnowBlizzard
Summary: Damian's hit with Poison Ivy's latest pollen, making the only way to get relief from the pain to be close to Tim, this causes issues.Damian's confused, Tim knows and Bruce just wants to make a damn vaccine.
Relationships: Tim Drake/Damian Wayne
Series: TimDami One-shots [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2114445
Comments: 8
Kudos: 213





	I Miss The Colorful Birds

**Author's Note:**

> This is my third Tim/Damian work this month, and I really like this one so I hope you do too!
> 
> The title is taken from Stuck In A Daydream - Ale Madsen (she just released her first album and I love it! <3)

Tim hasn't really ever gotten a phone call from Bruce, he's gotten texts about cases and stuff like that but he can't remember Bruce ever  _ calling  _ him. He was just sleeping but he feels fully awake now, hands shaking and pulse raising. This must be serious.

_ "Red Robin, glad you could pick up."  _ Bruce says immediately, not even giving Tim a chance to talk first.

"Uh, yeah. I was sleeping."

Bruce disregards this completely.  _ "We're on our way to your apartment. We've encountered some… unfortunate side-effects to our battle with Poison Ivy." _

They're coming here? Now? Tim hasn't cleaned in like… at least three weeks. Wait- if they’re coming here after a battle has something happened to the manor? If they’re willing to risk being seen walking into Tim’s private apartment in their disguises something must’ve happened. 

“Okay- okay, uhm, can I prepare anything?” It feels stupid asking but Tim’s not sure what’s going on and he’s growing more and more worried by the second.

He can hear Bruce give off a heavy sigh, _“prepare a place for Robin to sleep.”_

Now- what? If Bruce was going back to the manor then why wouldn’t Damian? But Tim knows you don’t argue with Bruce during times like these, especially if his side-kick is injured, or whatever he is. “Okay.” Bruce hangs up after that and Tim’s left scrambling for clothes and setting up a little sleeping place on his couch which honestly just feels ridiculous. He hasn’t set up his couch for anyone to sleep on since a few years ago when Jason called him, drunk, to say he’d forgotten where any of his safehouses were.

Anxiety is buzzing low in his stomach as he shifts on his feet, waiting for the inevitable. His door opens and Bruce walks straight in, not waiting for Tim to even speak (nevermind how he got it unlocked-- did Tim give him a key?) Damian still in his Robin costume, coming in after. He looked... fine? What the  _ fuck? _

“Uhm-” Tim tried to speak but it seems like Damian and Bruce were arguing over something. 

“Father, I do not need this. I refuse to stay in Drake’s apartment just because you wish me to.” Although he seemed fine, mostly, it seemed like he had recently been in pain, his face flushed and breathing slightly heavy.

Bruce gave him a stare, “don’t you feel better?” Damian looked down with a sigh and nodded. “See? Good.” He turned to Tim, “he got hit by Ivy’s new pollen.”

“What does that have to do with me? Or can he just not sleep at home?” 

“We’re not sure, but as the pollen hit, Robin was talking about you and now it seems he can only get relief from pain by being near you. I have a blood sample to analyze and I’ll try to find an antidote, okay?  _ Be kind.”  _ He said those last parts to Damian, but the ‘be kind’ was almost threathining. 

Tim's mind is still reeling as Bruce closes the door behind him. What? Okay- he's gonna try to piece it together. Damian was talking about him as he got hit by Ivy's pollen? And now they need to be near each other or Damian will be in pain? What kind of bullshit is this?

Damian will murder him, or try to at least. 

Damian seemingly notices the look on his face, "I am not happy about this either, Drake. However I have full belief in Father's ability to create a cure."

"You can't stay here."

"I do not want to either."

"No, I- I have people coming over tomorrow."

Damian blinks up at him, "and that is an issue?"

Tim frowns, "yes. Are you really gonna make me cancel my plans?"

Damian shrugs, smug bastard. "Unless you want me there, I will warn you though, I like mayhem."

Tim grits his teeth, "I'm aware. How did you two even find out I'm a sort of pain reliever?"

"We held her a plant of hers hostage, and she told us that the last person they who had been hit was thinking of was a sort of temporary relief."

"You were thinking of me?" Tim moves further into his apartment, wanting a quick answer and then planning to fall back to sleep. 

Damian scoffs, moving with him to his living room. "Do not flatter yourself. I was talking about your tardiness with the CCTV footage from Bane's case."

Tim grits his teeth again, "I'm working on it."

"-tt- you were planning to hang with friends."

Tim clenches his fists, breathes in, out and unclenches them. "I'm going back to bed. There's a pillow and covers on the couch."

Damian nods, seeming anything but satisfied. "What's gonna be for breakfast?" 

Tim sighs harshly, "nothing if you keep playing with me."

"I am in no way playing, this is an unsatisfactory situation and I am simply asking about food."

Tim pinches his nose, "just- just be quiet. Don't touch anything while I'm sleeping either. Bathroom is that door." Tim points towards the door and then gets himself ready for bed once again, however much later. Well, after sending a  _ 'sorry, I'm cancelling our plans. My brother's sick and there's nobody else to take care of him' _ text to him and his friends group chat.

-

When Tim exits his room the next morning he finds Damian pretty much where he left him, sitting up with the covers up to his middle, as he has the TV turned on to some horror movie that Tim doesn't recognize.

"Uh, morning."

Damian gives him a quick glance, only nodding in response. 

"Do you always watch horror movies at eight in the morning?" Tim moves towards his kitchen, but honestly, there's not much of a distance between his kitchen and living room, he can easily keep talking to Damian from here.

"It was on." 

"Oh, uh, you want some breakfast? I was thinking about just eggs and toast."

Damian sighs, turning the TV off just as a woman with brown hair gets graphically decapitated. "Sure." He stood up.

Tim looks at him, "do you even have any other clothes with you than the costume?"

"No."

Tim groans, "you can't stay here in that. This is my apartment, like my permanent home. I can't be seen hanging with superheros."

"What do you expect me to do about it?"

"Oh for-" Tim sighs for what feels like the 50th time, "okay, you can borrow some of my old clothes."

Damian stares him down, "no thanks."

"Then you can't be here."

Damian gives him a long glare before huffing, crossing his arms and looking away. "You drive a hard bargain, Drake. I will accept your clothes until I can get my own back."

Tim nods, disappearing for a short while before dropping a few clothing items off by the couch. A silent agreement that Tim will be making breakfast while Damian changes is made. 

Though when Damian returns his face is pinched and his breathing is slightly heavier. Tim casts him a weird look as he sets the used pan down in the sink for later washing. "You okay?"

Damian looks the most displeased he has in a while, "you were too far away, it hurt."

Oh, Tim's not sure what he should say to that, so he just nods and motions toward two plates with the simplest sunny side up eggs and two pieces of toast. Damian nods back as they sit down.

"Do you not have work to attend to, Drake?" 

Tim's mouth twitches as he tries not to smile. "Trying to get rid of me? Sadly, this is my apartment and I do online courses."

“We would have problems if you were forced to leave.”

Tim takes a bite of his toast, “correction: you’d have problems.”

Damian narrows his eyes at him but stays quiet the rest of the time while they eat. 

-

Tim likes sitting on the couch to do work, he's got a big window on the left side of his livingroom that gives it the proper sunlight and view that's just right for concentration, he usually puts on some light music too and everything just kind of,  _ comes together.  _

But today the sunlight is irritating his eyes, the view is distracting and the music is overpowered by Damian trying to murder his houseplant. 

Tim can feel his head pulse with irritation. "Damian. Leave my plant alone."

Damian huffs, "do you not have anywhere to train?"

Tim tries to focus on his work but it's a futile effort. "I'm not rich. I go to the gym sometimes and other times I train in the batcave. You've seen me."

"I am restless."

Tim feels a headache come on stronger than it has in weeks. "I don't care. I have work to do. Do some homework or something."

"Father has relieved me of homework until he figures out how to cure this." For a moment it's quiet,  _ finally.  _

Tim takes this time, these precious few minutes he thinks he'll have to speed through the next line of his essay that's due in three hours. Then he hears the rustle of leaves and the snap of a branch and _he_ _snaps._

"Damian! Stop fighting my plant! If you're not quiet in the next ten seconds and calm the fuck down I'll leave where you can't catch me." He knows it's wrong to say that if Damian doesn't listen, he's gonna be hurt (through magical pollen or not) but the thing is- Tim's not actually planning on leaving. 

When he casts a look towards him again, Damian's eyes are on the floor. He expects a 'I could always catch you,' or something of that sort. What he gets instead is a quiet "sorry," mumbled out to the floor.

Tim sighs in relief. "Thanks, we can do something later, okay? We can go to the manor, check on progress and get you your own clothes back. Right now, I just need to focus on this."

Damian nods, Tim's not exactly sure what Damian does for the next two hours and 40 minutes because he's staring down into his laptop, completely focused on pushing this out. When he's done he blinks, eyes adjusting to real life. 

He finds Damian splayed out on his apartment floor, looking bored as ever, tapping on his phone. "I'm done." Tim can see Damian startle before he's fully back on his feet again.

"Shall we leave?"

Tim snorts, rolling his eyes, "we shall."

They take Tim's car, because of course they do and no matter how much Damian asks (demands, really) Tim doesn't let him drive. 

-

"How's finding a cure going?" Tim asks while Damian beats up some training dolls and  _ not  _ Tim's house plants. He's also changed back into his costume, which is nice because seeing him in Tim's clothes just felt… odd.

Bruce sighs, "not great."

Tim raises an eyebrow and tries not to look completely scared for what this will entail. 

"It seems to worsen over time, which means you'll have to be gradually closer and closer. Actually, based on where he's standing now, Damian should be in some sort of pain."

If one were looking closer at the person in question, they might notice signs of this. Heavier breathing than necessary for the strain of this practice, the unfocused eyes, the way his teeth grit and the way his fighting grows more and more insistent. But Damian’s stubborn, always refusing to admit when he’s hurt. Tim can understand it, he doesn’t want to be seen as weak but it’s not a good tactic. Tim remembers when Damian had the flu and refused to take medicine, almost killing himself in the process. Because he refused to admit he was hurt. 

“How far along are you to making an antidote?” Tim asks, because although Damian might be one of the most annoying people on the planet, he doesn’t wanna see him suffer because Tim feels awkward about being close to him.

“I’ve started the process and looked at Damian’s blood samples before and after being exposed, but I haven’t completed the search yet, nor have I found out what caused this on a molecular level.”

Tim nods, “okay, I should probably call him over right? Wait- what happens when he has to shower? Do I need to stay outside the bathroom?” He doesn’t add the much more terrifying question of  _ ‘in the shower?’ _

Bruce nods and Tim dreads but Damian’s already sweaty from his short workout when Tim calls him over.

“Father, do you have the solutions?”

“No,” Bruce grunts.

Damian’s face falls. “Do you have any information of use?”

“It will get worse the longer it stays in your blood system,” Bruce offers as he tells the batcomputer to do another scan for viruses close in symptoms and look to the one Damian’s experiencing.

Damian looks extremely displeased. “I do not like this.”

“I know- but Damian, you cannot be in constant pain. This is a temporary solution until I find out more.”

Damian sighs, turning around to exit the batcave. “I am going to get my clothes and have a shower. Stay in my room while.”

Tim agrees, following Damian into his room at the manor. Tim’s been here a few times (very few times) and mostly just to tell Damian something quickly. His room is pretty standard, save for the wall of swords on his right. There’s a sketchbook open to a little less than the middle on his desk when they enter, as soon as Damian sees it, he closes and puts it away. “I will be in the shower, do not touch anything.”

“Yeah, okay.” Tim says even though it’s a losing battle. He’s a curious person, okay? And Damian’s kind of an enigma, an annoying one, but an enigma nonetheless. Tim’s got no clue what he likes besides beating people up and trash talking. Damian gives him a short glare, as if to warn him before taking some clothes and disappearing into the bathroom. Tim tries, (give him credit) he really tries to stay still, but there’s a low buzzing, that  _ need to know.  _

But he doesn’t wanna snoop, so he just takes a closer look at what’s already out in the room. It’s pretty clean and there’s not much laying around. From what Tim can see, sitting on the edge of Damian’s bed, there’s the wall of swords, a dresser, a wardrobe, a desk with Damian’s laptop and a few pencils, the bed and two nightstands. Really standard room, so much so that it’s a little boring. Damian doesn’t even have a TV, what does he do during the day? 

Tim ends up not looking through his stuff, it just feels like more of an invasion of privacy than this whole mess they’re in already is. So he taps his fingers on his knee, listens to the sound of water running and sends Cassandra a picture he thinks relates to her. Then because he’s really, really bored and why is Damian taking so long to shower? He ends up asking Bart what he’s doing, to which he gets a ‘sorry, super busy, ttyl’ which is just great.

He ends up looking through reddit for progress in computer science and then moves on to cute cat pictures. He's looking at a video of a cat slapping another cat when Damian emerges, hair damp but fully clothed again, in his own clothes this time however.

"I just need to get my clothes then we can go."

Tim looks at him incredulously, "you wanted nothing more than to do something, now we're doing something and you wanna leave?"

He can see Damian tense while he's rooting around in his dresser, "I do not like to think about the situation I am in."

Tim can get that, that need to escape from your feelings. "You wanna do something else then? To be honest, I have no clue what you like but maybe getting your mind off this might be good."

Damian sighs, stuffing a bag full of shirts and moving onto the pants. "Yeah, could we- uhm, could we go bird watching?"

Tim's a little taken aback, "oh, uh, yeah of course. I like photography, I could probably get some nice shots during."

Damian looks at him, almost like he's apprehensive before he moves to the desk drawer he put a sketchbook in and grabs it along with a pencil case (black, of course). 

-

They drop by off at Tim's apartment where Damian packs up his clothes and Tim checks his camera battery and storage. It's been too long since he indulged in actual photography and not quick selfies with Stephanie and Cassandra. 

"How long have you been drawing?" Tim asks during the car ride, because honestly, he didn't think Damian has any hobbies beside working out and being annoying.

"Since I was born." 

Tim nods, even though he really wants to ask how he had the time for that during the assassin training but he doesn't. The best place for birdwatching (due to a quick google search) is apparently Blüdhaven in a little park that Tim's been at like… once? Twice? 

When they arrive they find out it's actually pretty much a patch of grass surrounded by trees. It's oddly beautiful though, the sunlight just barely sneaking through the trees, and then there's the sounds of the birds chirping that calms them both.

It's almost like their history is… gone. Just poof. There's no fighting, no loud voices, no insults, just calmly talking about where they think the best spot would be.

"I think I see a nest in the tree." Damian says after squinting, it's nice that they're alone at the park. Tim looks up, indeed seeing a birds nest with a small Inca dove family.

Tim snaps a shot as soon as his hands allow him to. They're not the most pretty, their feathers actually give of a dirty look but they're  _ cute.  _ Especially the nestlings.

"We should sit here." Tim says because he can't take his eyes away from them. "Or you should, I want to take some pictures from other angles. See if maybe I can climb a nearby tree without scaring them."

Damian tenses up and Tim feels immediate regret. Their calm moment has been momentarily ruined because of what he said, he's not sure why, but he still feels slightly guilty.

"Please do not leave. I prefer not being in pain while sketching."

Tim wants to laugh but he can't, his mouth only managing a half-smile. "Yeah, shit, sorry. I'm, uh, sure I can find other angles from here too."

Damian nods, though there's something else in the expression of his face, something like  _ guilt.  _ Like he can't help but feel bad that he's restricting Tim's hobby. So Tim tries to get back the calm mood from before by asking why birds were his motive of choice.

"I have always liked them, they're scavengers who flee but most species aren't cowardly. They simply take notice of their surroundings and make the best of it. I think that's beautiful."

Tim's breath catches in his throat, he expected something like 'they're interesting' and nothing more. But Damian’s answer has him smiling even though he doesn't  _ totally  _ get it, but he can see the genuine peace on Damian's face, the way he means that with his whole being and Tim thinks that's  _ beautiful.  _

He misses his opportunity to answer or say anything back because when he next blinks he sees Damian's already working on a rough sketch. Tries a few different angles and thinks some end out pretty well. The sunlight works well with him and creates a kind of symbolic photo that Tim can't understand even if he was the one that took it.

Then he turns his camera and takes a picture of Damian's concentrated face, looking occasionally at the bird and then back in his sketchbook. "Are you taking photos of me, Drake?"

Tim smiles, "just one," he promises. Because he doesn't have any photos of Damian. He's got plenty of ridiculous and funny selfies with Dick, a few reluctant pictures with Jason that he mostly had to take in secret, he's got a  _ lot  _ of pictures of Cassandra and Stephanie just hanging out with him, he's even got one where they're all wearing fake moustaches and monocles (if he's being honest, that's his favorite picture because they all just look so damn  _ happy),  _ Tim even has that one framed in his bedroom. He even has a few pictures with Bruce, one's where he's not frowning. But he has none of Damian, because he's never been allowed so close, never been allowed to catch him off guard or even to ask because he's been shut out for so long.

But they're kind of forced to socialize now and if Tim's being honest, Damian might be one of the most annoying people to exist but he enjoys this because he knows- he  _ knew-  _ that Damian could be like this- calm, peaceful and giving up that 'fight or die' mindset for a few hours. It's nice to be able to watch him in his element, when tensions are high because he always comes out on top (well, most of the time anyway) but he gives it his all, but this is good too- better because this is also very much Damian, just the side he's usually shutting people out from. Tim gets to see it, yes, maybe it's because of some unfortunate circumstances but still- he gets to see it.

Damian hasn't even insulted him once during the time they've been here. He watches as Damian's eyebrows furrowed in concentration, the frown that's not him feeling anything negative, just pure concentration. The way Damian pours himself into anything he's doing, always giving it his fullest- that's what Tim admires about him. Whether it'd be fighting or helping Alfred with dinner, or something so simple as reading a text he gives it his all, always expecting more of himself, thereby achieving it easier. Maybe those Barbie films were right- at least partially, maybe at least believing is what makes a start.

Tim sits next to him on the patch of grass, holding up his camera and taking another picture, with both of them in the frame. Damian looks up confused and Tim takes another one where he's looking right at the camera. 

"I thought you said 'just one?'"

Tim can't stop smiling, "I changed my mind."

Damian gives him an odd look, before chuckling. "You are an odd being."

If Tim didn't know better, he'd think that wasn't an insult.  
  


Tim really hated leaving, but it was getting dark and he was growing tired. It's also a peaceful ride back. And for once, Tim feels that maybe, they could actually be friends. 

As he drives he thinks, thinks about this odd situation and what he can make of it. What he can do about it. What will happen after. Because he's scared to find out. Today was one of the best days Tim's had, the most calm, peaceful and relaxed he's been in months, probably years. He doesn't want to lose this feeling. 

The warmth that's spreading everywhere, the way he feels like he could reveal his biggest secrets and fears without repercussions. That's what he's been missing- why he's been so on edge lately. He needed this so badly- a day where he could honestly just relax and not let the fears creep up on over him, where he could simply be Tim Drake, not Red Hood or Timothy Wayne, but just melt into the earth and let it swallow him whole. 

-

It's the middle of the night when Tim's bedroom door opens with the sound of heavy breathing accompanying it. At first he thinks some psychopath has found out where he lives but then Damian's talking, shaky and afraid in a way Tim's never heard him. "Drake? Are you awake?"

Tim groans, sitting up slowly. "I am now."

He can't see too well in the pitch-black darkness of his room but he can feel Damian move closer to the bed. "It is getting worse."

For a moment Tim's tired a brain doesn't understand, "what?" He croaks, "what time is it? Ugh."

Damian ignores this, "it is getting worse, Drake. I can't sleep."

Oh right, the pollen. 

_ Oh fuck the pollen. _

Seems it's getting worse faster than anticipated. "Does it hurt?"

Damian nods, he looks embarrassed to admit this, like being hurt by some supernatural power is something to be embarrassed by. 

"Right now?" Damian first shakes his head but then he nods.

"A little."

Tim groans, making room on the bed so they won't have to touch. "Come here, just-" he yawns tiredly, "lay down." Damian follows the instructions like he never does. Tim doesn't have the energy to be shocked. 

They're not touching  _ per say,  _ but Tim's bed isn't that big so there's not much distance. Tim tries to make out the features of Damian's face in the dark but finds he can't. 

"Where does it hurt?" Tim's honestly kind of curious.

"I don't know, my whole body? It hurts everywhere." Damian sounds frustrated, but not at Tim, at himself.

"Hey, don't be so hard on yourself, okay? You couldn't have predicted this."

"I should be better."

"Don't push yourself to limits you can't reach." Tim yawns again. "Just get some sleep. I'll talk to Bruce in the morning, tell him about this."

"Do not tell him about me sleeping in your bed. You cannot tell  _ anyone  _ about this." Damian's probably going for threatening but his voice honestly just sounds tired.

"Can't promise anything," with that Tim turns around and promptly falls back asleep, not even hearing what Damian has to say back.

-

Tim calls Bruce first thing in the morning, while Damian is still sleeping. He closes the door behind him but stays close, hoping the distance limit isn't  _ that  _ small yet. 

"It's getting worse,  _ a lot  _ worse. We can barely be in separate rooms anymore."

Bruce sighs over the phone.  _ "I've been trying to figure it out. The vaccine is progressing, slowly. I think I might have a temporary solution however." _

"Tell me."

_ "I think the pollen is mostly reacting to skin cells and via air. The air part we can't do anything about but you can substitute the skin cells. It's not a permanent solution but if he were to try wearing one of your shirts it might work." _

"Really?"

_ "It's worth a try. Just make sure it has your skin cells on it." _

"How am I gonna be able to make Damian wear one of my dirty shirts? That's kinda… gross."

_ "It doesn't have to be dirty, it has to have your skin cells. Just put it on for a second. Listen- I've got a meeting to go to but call me if anything happens." _

"Okay, uh, thanks."

Great. Tim's totally gonna be able to do this. 

-

"Psst, Damian, wake up." He shakes him gently.

"Leave me alone, Drake."

"No. I need you to put this shirt on."

Damian groans like nobody has ever been this annoying to him, which is kind of ironic. "What?" He croaks, voice deep from just waking up.

"I need you to put on this shirt."

"That is your shirt." Damian shifts so he's half sitting up.

"Yes."

"What is wrong with the one I am currently wearing?"

"For fucks sake- Bruce thinks that my skin cells are what's giving you relief."

Damian stares at him incredulously, "what?" Then he starts laughing lightly, "you want me to wear something your dirty clothing?"

Tim can feel a vein in his head beat with annoyance. "I wore it for two seconds. I need to shower and you don't wanna have to stay outside the bathroom the whole time right?"

Damian sighs, "this is a little gross."

"I wore it for literally a maximum of eight seconds." 

He watches as Damian takes the shirt he wore to bed off and throws on Tim's. "So?"

"You have to leave, dimwit." Damian says, crossing his arms. He looks anything but happy.

Tim goes out to the furthest corner of his apartment. When he comes back he asks again. "So?"

"It's better. Painful but a dull sort of pain, kind of just like an annoyance."

Tim breathes out in relief. "Good, okay, I'll go shower now. Feel free to go make yourself some breakfast. Oh, but keep your hands off my spaghetti leftovers alright? I plan on eating that later."

"Why would I eat pasta for breakfast?"

"I-" Tim gives the bridge of his nose a quick squeeze to air out his frustration. "I don't know. Just don't take it, okay?"

When Tim gets back from his shower, newly clothed and hair wet, he finds Damian eating his pasta leftovers and watching some weird horror movie on his TV.

Remember all that yesterday he said about how he likes Damian's soft side and how they might be able to be friends after all? 

Forget that. The man ate his pasta. That's unforgivable.

Tim will never forget this.

-

Tim discovers that Damian does like to do a few things while he’s bored, mainly watch horror movies. Especially the bloody and gory ones. That’s how Tim finds himself watching Saw VI next to Damian on his couch. 

“Oh c’mon Drake, you’ve seen things more horrific than this.”

Tim swallows, “yeah, but it feels different watching a movie, I don’t know.” 

Damian shrugs and watches a man's ribs get horrifically crushed by a steel machine. “The traps are pretty interesting though,” Tim supplies. Having a movie night with Damian isn’t what he imagined doing, but Damian was extremely restless with not being able to go on patrol or engage in many activities. In a pretty desperate gesture to get him to shut up so Tim could focus on this new program for sorting out where an EMP signal came from more easily, he called Bruce and asked him what Damian did in his free time. After a short pause Bruce just said, “he likes horror movies, sometimes,” and hung up.

Which is how they got here.

“They are pretty intriguing, are they not? The hard choices you have to make with each one to survive… it’s interesting.”

Tim nods, “you know you can leave right? We figured out that the shirt ‘trick’ or whatever worked, at least for a few hours. You could do something, outside.”

Damian scoffs, “like what? I do not have that many hobbies, nor can I go crime fighting because of this pesky pollen.”

Tim sighs, “I know. We’ll… figure something out.”

-

When Tim wakes up that morning he finds himself in a… predicament. Not only because he finds himself spooning with Damian (or the fact that he’s the little spoon), no, it’s because there’s something hard rubbing against his ass. 

As soon as he feels it he stiffens, to the point where his body aches slightly.  _ Oh god not now- _

But Damian groans and rubs himself against Tim's ass all the same. Did he have to have a wet dream while sleeping in Tim's bed? Really? 

As Tim silently wills himself to sleep he can feel his own prick start to rise up, cautious and curious but welcoming and Tim's  _ screwed.  _

What is he supposed to do here? Get out of bed and let him wake up, embarrassing them both? Or just let him rub against his ass until he gets off? Both of those options will end in a lot of embarrassment and probably some guilt for Tim. 

Maybe he can pretend he didn't feel anything, maybe he can just wake him up and say something like, 'I'm gonna go make breakfast, you want any?'

Okay- yeah, sure that's what he'll do, and he needs to do something because otherwise he might let some sounds out. 

He shakes him gently, not mentioning the fact that Damian is obviously aroused and so is Tim, though he tries to find a good angle to hide that. "Damian, Damian wake up."

"Nghhh, what?" Damian hasn't opened his eyes yet, which is good. 

"I was gonna make breakfast. You want some?"

"Of course I do, Drake. You do not even need to ask." Damian groans and rolls over. Tim can hear his breath catch as Damian realizes the erection in his boxers and the fact that he was just now spooning Tim.

Tim pretends as if nothing has happened, "okay, I'll, uhm, I'll go make some then, is uhh, scrambled eggs okay?"

"Yes," Damian says although it comes out as more of a squeak. 

Tim leaves as quickly as he can, not wanting to think about what happened even though both the lower parts of him and his brain wouldn’t let it go. He has to think of the most boner killing thoughts he can imagine while making the scrambled eggs, just so it doesn't become awkward.

It works, and soon enough Damian comes out of his room, looking fine and fully clothed. Tim's still wearing his pyjamas. "Shit sorry, was I too far away?"

Damian flushes hot quicker than Tim's ever seen someone go from fine to a blushing mess. "No, or yes."

Tim raises an eyebrow, popping a few pieces of bread in the toaster. 

"I think the cells lingered. It was… muddled pain. Dull."

Tim nods, yep, totally pretending Damian wasn't just rubbing his hard cock against my ass. No problemo. "That's good at least."

They eat in relative silence before Tim sighs, "I thought we should make a quick check in at the manor, see if we can pick up any new info or at least know how the progress on the vaccine is going. "

"Okay."

"But I was searching around a little and I found a spot where there's supposed to be a few families of Kirtland's Warblers."

Damian perks up, "those really tiny ones that sing?"

Tim nods, "so I thought we maybe should go there after. You know, like we did in Blüdhaven." He doesn't add the  _ 'I thought it was really nice'  _ that's darting around his tongue. 

"Oh, yeah. That- we can do that." Then they go back to silence.

-

Bruce doesn't have much to say, only that he's about 35% complete to finding a vaccine and that should something happen, they can't go out fighting (which just makes Damian annoyed).

Then they're off to the outskirts of Smallville, they find a few Kirtland's Warblers pretty easily, sitting on a tree branch and whistling in harmony. Tim takes a few pictures and Damian tries to capture the moment in sketching instead.

It's been about an hour when Tim grows bored and decides that he needs a picture where Damian's smiling, because that's rare and he suddenly feels a need to capture it. "What kind of jokes do you like?"

Damian raises an eyebrow but doesn't take his eyes off the paper, "according to you, juvenile."

Tim rolled his eyes, "except that."

Damian set his sketchbook down in his lap, seemingly thinking for a moment. "Burlesque."

Tim raises an eyebrow, "imitation?"

Damian nods, "that or puns, but puns mostly make me annoyed even when I find them entertaining."

Tim doesn't know what to make of that, so he doesn't make anything of it. "I can do a pretty okay Batman impression."

Damian looks at him curiously, "show me."

Tim tries to lower his voice to the deepest he can, to begin he grunts. "No."

Damian stares at him for a moment, mouth slightly parted before he lets out a long 'h' sound and starts laughing. Like  _ really  _ laughing. 

Tim smiles and takes the chance to snap a picture before starting to snicker himself. He gets a good couple of shots where Damian looks genuinely  _ happy  _ and for some reason that makes an unfamiliar warmth spread throughout Tim. 

"I was not expecting something so… direct." Damian says as he tries to get his laughing under control. Honestly, Tim didn't think it was  _ that  _ funny, but Damian seems to have enjoyed it so he's done his part. 

Tim gives him an honest smile, "Bruce is nothing but direct."

Damian stops laughing, but he's still got a smile plastered on his face. "I suppose Father does prefer that." Then the smile is immediately gone and Damian lets out something like a shuddering breath. "Thank you."

Tim eyes him up and down, trying to figure out any tricks he's playing. "For what?"

"For this. For taking me out, getting my mind off of that pollen, for not leaving me to suffer." Now Damian refuses to look at him. "I am having fun instead of worrying."

Tim shifts a tiny bit closer on the grass, "did you really think I wouldn't help you? I mean yeah, you're an annoying piece of shit at times but you're my friend, and I would always help if I could."

Damian swallows harshly, still refusing to look at him. "I might… care about you too." His cheeks heat up and it seems like he's thinking hard about something.

Tim grins, "aww~ Damian's soft on me." He tries to hug him from behind only to quickly get thrown off and onto his back.

Damian, now standing, crosses his arms, huffs and says "I am not soft, for anyone. You are merely tolerable."

Tim dusts himself off, not letting the grin fall. "That's not what you said five seconds ago."

Damian ignores him, picking up his sketchbook, eraser and pencil. 

"Oh what- we're leaving?"

Damian looks up at the tree. "I think we scared the birds away."

Tim looks up and yeah, they're gone. Maybe they should've been more quiet. 

The drive home is nice, even if they don't talk much. 

-

Tim's heart starts beating faster when Bruce calls him, Damian's out (he said he needed to do something,  _ anything,  _ alone), he's wearing Tim's t-shirt he had on for a few minutes so he should be fine, no matter how much he complains that it's gross. 

Tim picks up as soon as the call comes up, but he doesn't get a chance to even say anything before Bruce talks.  _ "I have a prototype of the vaccine. _

"A prototype?" Tim questions.

_ "If it doesn't work, it won't harm him anyway but if it does work, or give some sort of relief, I know the right track." _

Tim swallows, "okay, I'll… I'll tell him. Be there soon." And then Bruce hangs up.

Tim's left standing there because he with some disgust in himself, he realises he doesn't want this to end. He wants Damian to keep staying here, to keep bothering him, to convince him to watch movies that'll have him shaking from the pure horror and most of all, he doesn't wanna lose that connection they've newly gotten. One that's quickly grown large. 

There's a low buzzing of anxiety in his stomach, from where he dreads it working, he dreads the disappearance of Damian from his life because they  _ never talked _ before. As soon as Tim moved out there wasn't much to say except a few petty arguments that sometimes ended in fights until Bruce either intertwined and chastised them or until they were so exhausted or hurt they couldn't keep fighting. 

Tim's never realized how lonely he felt before, not until the one thing that's now keeping him from his loneliness might disappear in a matter of hours. But he swallows all that down, all the confusing feelings he doesn't want to speak of and hits call on Damian's number, hoping he brought his phone with him.

Luckily, he did as he picked up after a few rings.  _ "What is it Drake? I am doing things." _

Tim really wants to ask what things, but he doesn't, remembering that this is important. "Bruce has a vaccine, or some prototype of it at least."

He can hear Damian quiet down for a moment before simply saying that he'll come back to Tim's apartment in three minutes.

So Tim waits, lets his anxiety boil low in his stomach. It's not as if he doesn't want Damian to get better, to get healed. He does, he truly does but for selfish reasons he doesn't want him to leave and he can't if he doesn't get better, right? But that mindset is so screwed. So off the road of what Tim's supposed to be. Yet, there it is, that little intrusive thought that makes him question all that he is. 

Dwelling's not an option however because Damian's pretty fast when he wants to be and Tim gets a text two minutes after he called him saying that he's outside. 

-

Tim's not allowed to be close while Damian takes the vaccine since they need to test the effects immediately. So he's stuck in his old room at the manor, going over some old memorabilia. There's not much, he took pretty much everything when he moved, but there are a few things. Mostly there's plans for improvements to an array of Batman and Robin's weapons, like an electric shocker that's quiet which would be a good idea if that were a possibility while frying another person with a multitude of electric waves. 

But there's not much else to do, so Tim waits, fiddling with his thumbs and thinking about if it would be okay to ask Alfred to bake him some croissants to take home or not. He's just about to get up and do just that when Damian stomps into his room, looking beyond irritated and frustrated.

"It didn't work?" Tim guesses, feeling guilty for wishing it wouldn't earlier. 

Damian grits his teeth, "no."

He notices Damian looks more frustrated than he's ever seen him, and that's saying a  _ lot.  _ "Hey, are you okay?"

Damian slams Tim's door shut behind him, sighing and crossing his arms in the most angry way Tim's ever seen. "No."

This leaves Tim more than a little unsure what to do. It seems he doesn't have to do anything but simply exist as Damian starts talking without any more encouragement. "It is just so frustrating! Why does this have to happen to  _ me?  _ What if I never get cured? What if I am just stuck being attached to you for my whole life? I will not be able to fight crime, I will not be able to do much of anything. I do not want this fate." Tim can see Damian's hands clench.

"You just gotta trust Bruce, he'll figure it out. If not, I'm sure he'll get Poison Ivy to tell him how to figure it out."

Damian's hands clench impossibly further. "What if- what if Father doesn't figure it out?  _ What will become of me?" _ That's a daunting question that Tim's kind of afraid to answer so he doesn't.

Actually he doesn't say anything until Damian punches a dent in his wall with a grunted "fuck."

Tim jumps in surprise, he's still unsure what to say but he thinks something-  _ anything  _ is better than silence. "Damian, you gotta calm down."

"You are the most confusing person I have ever met." Damian says suddenly, turning towards him. 

Tim sits down on the edge of his former bed. "What?"

"You confuse me."

"I confuse you?" Tim raises an eyebrow, "if anyone of us is confusing it's you."

Damian then comes closer, "whenever I get close to you my mind gets confused and my stomach feels uneasy. Now I am forced to be with you everyday."

_ Oh- _

_ Oh fuck. _

Tim's not sure what to do with the information that Damian has a crush on him and doesn't realise it. It's kind of sweet in a way, the way that Damian's genuinely confused about it and frustrated but it's also a weird feeling. Tim's not sure at all what to say and do now but now at least he knows Damian doesn't hate him. 

"Are you still mad?" He asks while trying to get his thoughts in order. He's not sure if he likes Damian that way but he knows he wouldn't be  _ against  _ it. So maybe he does, a little. 

Damian crosses his arms, "a bit."

"Can I do something?" Tim clears his throat, "to make you calm down a little, I mean."

Damian looks like he's considering the question, he's biting his lip and looking away. "If this ever gets out there I am killing you." Tim nods, making a zipping motion with his hands over his mouth. "You can… hug me." Damian says it like he's disgusted with himself for even suggesting such a thing but learning what he's recently learned, Tim's not surprised.

So he stands up, watches Damian uncross his arms, them falling to the side as Tim wraps his arms around Damian's waist, pulling himself in close and resting his face on Damian's shoulder. He feels Damian freeze, his whole body going rigid before he relaxes somewhat and wraps his arms around Tim's back. 

Then he relaxes fully, almost melting against Tim as he pulls himself as close as he can get, burying his face in Tim's neck. 

That Tim said before, about not being against the idea of being with Damian? Scratch that, he's for the idea. Now that it's planted in his head, he's noticing more and more how it might work and actually be good for them. Even if Damian's a leftovers stealer. 

It's weird how he's basically a puddle in Tim's arms, not saying anything, barely even breathing- Tim would think he was dead if it wasn't for the rapid heartbeat he could feel against his chest. 

Suddenly the time they looked at Kirkland's Warblers in Smallville comes back to him, how after his admission of caring about him, Damian had leaned in slightly, a fact Tim missed in the moment. If Tim hadn't made a joke then, Damian would've probably kissed him. The thought hits him like a stone- Damian has a crush on him. 

He figured that out before, but there's actual consequences of knowing this and that fact is just hitting him now. Damian's bad at emotions, that's a common fact. Tim really has to consider this, consider what he's going to do, and Damian's not even aware of his own crush, what is this mess? He's either gotta let him down gently or see the possibility of entering a relationship with him. Jesus christ- now Tim's the one who's confused.

He takes his hands away from around Damian and takes a step back, Damian's own arms flopping to his side. "Like said," Damian clears his throat. "I will kill you if you tell anyone about that."

"I promise not to tell anyone," he thinks about it for a bit before adding, "what a softie you are."

He expects some kind of retort but Damian only nods, "I wanna go home and sleep."

Tim doesn't mention that this  _ is  _ his home, the manor. "Okay," he says instead.

-

Damian does sleep when they get back to Tim's apartment, he sleeps for almost three hours while Tim does half an essay and works on a side project Cassandra's been asking about. She's been wanting an AI that learns from how she speaks to tweet for her, which Tim has thought to be kind of a funny project so far. 

Damian stirs next to him and Tim hears him yawn. "Good morning," he remarks.

Damian squints at him, "what time is it?"

"Six pm."

Damian groans, "I need another hobby."

Tim laughs, "yeah." 

Now that he's gotten some time to think about it, his thoughts are even more jumbled. If Damian were to confess right this second Tim doesn't have any clue as to what he'd answer. Probably something stupid.

"Drake?"

"Hm?"

"You have taken this entire situation surprisingly well." There's a questioning tone to that and Tim shrugs, stopping his coding in favor of looking at Damian while talking to him.

"You're the one in pain, not me." Tim purses his lips, "where did you go before I called you, when you said you were 'doing stuff?'"

"I visited a friend."

"Jon?"

"Yeah."

-

Tim wakes up in a familiar predicament the next day. Damian has an arm around his waist, his head in the crook of Tim's neck and an erection pushing into Tim's ass. 

Tim's first reaction is to blush (as usual) and freeze. This is the second time this has happened and Tim's not sure he can deal with another awkward morning. 

His second reaction (much to his own shame) is to push back against them hardness and groan. Okay, it's fucked up-  _ Tim knows,  _ but he's curious, he wants to know what Damian will do and it's not like these dreams last long anyway, he's heard somewhere they usually last about a minute. Tim just wants to know how Damian will react if he wakes up during or after this and he'd be lying if he claimed he didn't enjoy it as well, hence the groaning.

He might get caught up in it a little much when Damian lets out a small, sleepy but pleasured noise. It's so fucked up but Tim can't bring himself to  _ stop-  _ he pushes back, biting his lower lip against any noise that threatens to sneak out. 

Then Damian pulls him impossibly closer, trying to bury his dick as close to Tim's ass as it can get, though both of their boxers are in the way. He lets out a low, long groan and thrusts two more times before Tim feels a tiny bit of sticky liquid on his lower back that he thinks went through Damian's boxers. 

Fuck that's hot.

Then there's a weight shift as he feels Damian immediately sit up as soon as he's awake, his breathing is heavy and he lets out a quiet whisper of "oh fuck." 

Tim can't help but smile a little, honestly, maybe it's not as fucked as he first thought. The same would've happened if he stayed asleep right? He was already aware of Damian's crush so it's not like he's getting some big private info. 

He can feel Damian get out of the bed and then there's rustling as he presumably gets dressed. Then all the sound stops and Tim's breathing automatically hitches before he gets it under control.

"Fuck," Damian whispers again and Tim realizes, without even looking (he  _ is  _ a good detective after all) that Damian's looking a the tiny speck of cum splattered on Tim's lower back. "Stupid fucking hormones," he thinks Damian grunts before wiping it off with a napkin (an action which has Tim shivering).

He's not sure what's happening now, a little afraid to open his eyes, as everything stops. He thinks he hears Damian choke. "Drake?"

Aw, this wasn't totally what he wanted, he kind of wanted to put on an innocent smile and for once embarrass the shit out of Damian instead of the other way around. Tim opens his eyes and fake yawns, "morning'" he grumbles, surprised by how tired his voice is. Maybe he's more sleepy than he realized. "How'd you sleep."

Damian narrows his eyes on him, throwing the napkin on the end table on the opposite side. Tim has to stifle a laugh at that. "You were awake." Damian says, straight to the point.

Tim blinks, "for what?" 

Damian doesn't buy it at all, he actually almost growls out his next words. "You know what." Then he narrows his eyes, "you did not stop me."

"Nope." Tim says, turning around fully so he's laying on his back.

"Why not? Is this some fetish of yours?" Damian's obviously trying to hide his embarrassment but Tim doesn't mind. He knows how Damian feels and he's not playing around with his emotions in an attempt for a quick lay, he wouldn't do this if he had no intention of dating him, which he has. Yeah it was a surprise for him too. 

"You mean someone humping me? I think that's pretty much a standard thing to like." He shrugs, trying not to smile or smirk.

Damian's eyebrows shoot up and his eyes widen a tiny bit in surprise. "This- you are turned on?" He asks instead of whatever he was first planning. Oh- and he's blushing slightly, who knew Damian could blush?

"Uhm, I thought you knew that," he knew Damian didn't but it's a little bit more fun this way (he promises he'll stop playing soon), "I mean you can just look down."

He watches as Damian's eyes rake his body, stopping on the tent in his boxers, the sheets thrown to the side. He sees him bite his lip, "Drake, I-" then there's a leg over his midsection and Damian's sitting on his thighs. This isn't where he thought this would go but he's definitely not complaining. Damian looks as if he's about to say something more before he shakes his head and ducks down to catch Tim's lips in his own.

It's messy and clumsy and makes Tim wonder if Damian's ever done more than a simple peck with someone. But he's eager, incredibly eager in a way that feels like the opposite of him normally, it also makes up for the messiness. Tim kisses back, of course, and lets Damian do as he pleases, which is to quietly moan and bite on Tim's bottom lip in a way that's actually a bit too hard beyond what Tim likes, but he doesn't mention it, only open his mouth a tiny bit and allows Damian's tongue to enter his mouth.

Damian full body shivers and lets out a low grunt. Tim reaches up and wraps his arms around Damian's shoulders, using right hand to hold his head in place as he slowly takes over. It surprises him how quickly Damian allows him to. He sucks Damian's tongue into his mouth further, earning a moan and some heavy breathing that forces Tim to pull away so Damian can breathe. 

Tim honestly thought Damian would get dressed again but now that he looks he can see Damian only changed his underwear, a fact that makes his dick twitch as he rakes his eyes over his torso and legs. 

Damian's still panting when Tim abandons looking to kiss his neck. By then he honestly thinks Damian's eyes have rolled into his head by the little gasp he makes and the stutter of his hips forward despite the fact that he's still soft from coming not too long ago. 

It's intoxicating to be wanted this much, but in a good way. Especially as Damian pulls his hands up to rake through his hair, shifting his head to the side to allow Tim more access. 

Then Damian uses the hands in his hair to pull him off his neck, he looks wild despite them not having done much, his eyes are huge and-  _ oh,  _ he's hard again. Tim wants to laugh, say something like 'didn't get enough last time?' But he doesn't, just keeps his mouth shut as Damian trails his hand down his chest. Tim shivers and lets out a small breath as his hand reaches his abdomen.

Damian doesn't hesitate, whether it'd be running head first into battle or apparently sitting up fully on Tim's thighs and pulling his underwear down to grab his dick. Tim groans, letting his head fall back onto the pillows as Damian uses his hand to stroke up and down. Tim stops him with a gasp after he thumbs the leaking head of his cock and Damian just looks at him confused and maybe a bit frightened? Tim's not fully sure about the latter though.

"Was it not good?" Damian asks and Tim shifts his eyebrows.

"It was good, but-" he motions for Damian to lift his hips and rolls his underwear down when Damian follows the instructions. "I thought this might be better." 

Damian sighs, hovering to fully push the boxers off his legs and onto the sidelined covers. Tim can't stop looking at the erection perched between his legs. He licks his lips, swallowing harshly. Why had he never noticed how hot Damian was before? And shockingly  _ cute?  _

He grabs Damian's butt as Damian puts his hands onto his chest to keep his upright. This earns him a bitten off moan.  _ "Drake." _

Tim kind of wishes Damian would just call him Tim, but saying Drake reminds him of who exactly this is- and that- that my good sirs, ladies and all that between, is really hot. 

But Tim has a mission to complete, what he wanted to do in the first place. He pulls Damian closer by his ass, earning a surprised gasp that turns into another choked and bitten off moan when their hard dick touch. Tim also makes a pretty embarrassing sound. 

Okay, so, Tim's slept with three people in his whole lifetime and only one of them was a guy, so he's struggling to remember exactly what he thought felt really good, but he does remember the way he grabbed both their dicks together and before fully jerking them just let them glide together slowly, to get a feel of each other. So Tim does that, earning heavy panting that almost concerns him for a moment (not that his own breath isn't heavy, but he's not panting) before Damian's steadiness falters and he ends up fully laying on Tim. Tim lets out a groan as Damian kisses him  _ hard.  _

This- this might be more than Tim bargained for. But he's not complaining, it feels good-  _ amazing  _ and he does like Damian, at least enough to try and date him.

Tim gets tired of teasing (if it can even be called that) eventually and strokes them together at a pace he usually likes. Damian chokes into the kiss and lets his head fall into the crook of his neck instead, pulling one hand up to Tim's hair to presumably steady himself and one lands next to Damian's own head, making sure he doesn't completely fall onto Tim. He's breathing heavy, almost whimpering and thrusting into Tim's grip. 

If he's being honest, he had no clue Damian would be this… breathy? Loud? Or well, not loud but he keeps making sounds, again, Tim's not complaining. Especially not when Damian stills, letting out a quite loud groan and comes over Tim' hand, a bit of it landing on his stomach.

It doesn't take much at all for Tim to follow in his footsteps. He watches as his cum mixes with Damian's, who's currently trying to steady his breathing against Tim's neck, having given up on holding himself up a little. He feels Damian's warm breathing even out as he relaxes. 

Tim's a little unsure what to do now, but Damian seems half-asleep so maybe he doesn't have to worry about it too much. That is until his phone rings with an annoying chirp.

He can feel Damian let out an annoyed huff against his shoulder. But Tim picks it up as soon as he sees it's Bruce. 

"What?" He yawns, despite not being really tired, an orgasm always makes him feel like he could fall asleep any moment.

_ "I have analyzed why the vaccine failed."  _ Tim's unsure why Bruce just doesn't call Damian instead but he's pretty sure Damian can clearly hear them right now so it doesn't matter. _ "The batcomputer should be able to synthesize another very soon." _

"Okay, anything else?"

_ "No."  _ And then he's being hanged up on. Tim groans, putting his phone on the nightstand. 

"Father has a way of interrupting things."

Tim nods and then they don't say anything until the mess on Tim's stomach starts to get gross. He goes to get up but Damian huffs and doesn't let him move out from under him. "Where are you going?"

"To shower? We're gross." Tim says simply, trying to wiggle out from under him.

Damian makes a face, like he's just now noticing the cum that between their stomachs. "Yeah, okay. I want to shower after."

Tim nods, "I'll be quick. Though you might wanna stay outside the door, y'know, in case it hurts." Damian sighs quietly.

"-tt- Can I not join you in your shower?" Tim chokes a little but then he's nodding.

"Okay, uhm, sure."

It turns out not to be as intimate as Tim thought it'd be, it's mostly just mechanical washing and then getting out and drying. His bathroom is a little small but they make it work. 

"Breakfast?" Tim asks and Damian nods. 

-

It turns out Tim made a grave mistake while making breakfast. So apparently there's some simple facts about Damian that he just never noticed, and Tim kind of knew that but he didn't think he'd miss something like this.

"You are aware I do not eat meat, right?" And Tim stops what he's doing, turns around and looks at him- not because he's a vegetarian, Tim couldn't care less- but because it seems like such a normal trait for someone like Damian.

"Uh, I didn't know what. Sorry, I'll uhm," that's all the says as he pops some bread into the toaster. 

He can see Damian smiling slightly out of the corner of his eye. "I don't mind you eating it however. Feel free to."

Tim snorts, "thanks for the permission."

-

It's been what? Six hours since they'd first kissed but it seems like they  _ can't stop.  _ Every time he turns around it's like 'oh there's Damian and oh, he's giving me a peck.' Like it's totally normal now. 

So Tim starts doing it too and they're never far away from each other, except for when Tim's got work to do and just wants peace and quiet, which usually means Damian has to either be really quiet or go out. 

They're not exactly dating but it's not far off, Tim has even been allowed to see some of Damian's drawings, which as he understands he doesn't allow anyone to do. In turn Tim shows him some pictures he's taken, although he'd probably showed them to most people if prompted. 

It's amazing just sitting on the couch and being wrapped up in Damian's arms, even if there's a man being decapitated on the TV (that part Tim could live without). 

Then Bruce is calling again, and Tim feels annoyed as he shuffles closer to Damian for a second before fully letting go and taking the call.

_ "It's done. It should work now."  _

Tim feels his breath catch. "Now?" He doesn't want to because then Damian would move back and they'd go back to only talking during the holidays and that's the opposite of what Tim wants.

_ "Preferably." _

Tim bites his lips, probably looking the definition of uneasy. "Uh, we'll be there soon."

Damian sits up then too, "is Father done with the- hmft!" Tim kisses him, as hard as he can. Just in case. 

Damian looks a little confused but quickly kisses back, mouth opening quickly as the kiss turns more rough and into a short make-out session instead. 

Tim only answers once he's pulled away. "Yeah, he wants us to get to the manor now."

Even Damian looks conflicted but he gets up anyway. "Then let's go." 

-

"Did it work?" Tim asks as soon as he sees him, standing at Tim's doorway. 

Damian sighs, "yeah. Uh, thanks for letting me stay with you."

Tim nods curtly, dusting nothing off on his jeans as he stands up. "I'll see you later?" It's unsure and Tim wants to rub his neck with how awkward this has become. 

Damian nods, "yeah. Take care, Drake." And then Tim's walking away, a heavy feeling in his stomach like he just lost something that's good for no fault of his own.

-

Tim pours his energy into his work after that. It's not shocking that he misses Damian, he knew he would, even after only about two weeks of being around him. But it's surprising just how  _ much _ he misses him. Being around him became such a routine that Tim was left feeling incredibly lonely when he was gone.

There's been a few times when he thinks maybe he should text him, something like a quick 'how are you?' Or just inviting him out to do anything, but he doesn't. Damian likes to be left alone most of the time. 

-

Tim's texting Cassandra about a potential bug his AI has when the doorbell rings. Hr sighs, thinking someone just went to the wrong apartment again. 

What he gets instead of a confused person is an angry Damian. Tim looks him up and down, "uh, hi?" He looks pissed, his arms are crossed and his eyes are narrowed on Tim.

"I am not in the mood for hello's."

Tim's unsure what to do here so he just nods, standing back in case Damian wants to come in, which he does, Tim closes the door behind him. "Any reason you're angry."

"Take one good guess."

Tim falters, this isn't how Damian normally acts when angry, normally he'd try to punch the person (or if it's Bruce, give him the silent treatment back). "Uhhh, Bruce?" He guesses.

"No." Damian sighs angrily. "You have not contacted me since I got cured. That was a week ago." 

Oh-  _ oh.  _ "I thought you wouldn't want me to." Tim feels kind of embarrassed right now. "You could've texted or called too, you know."

Damian looks down, "I wanted to but I-" he sighs, all signs of anger gone. "I asked Kent about you, before-" here it almost seems like Damian flushes, "before we had intercourse. He told me I had a crush on you, which I thought was ridiculous. But it's true and I don't know what to do in a relationship."

Tim sighs, looking up for a short moment. "We're both such idiots at times."

Damian glares at him, "do not call me an idiot."

Instead of retorting, Tim just asks if he can kiss him to which Damian gives a slightly breathy yes. 

"But do not think all is forgiven."

Tim shrugs, "well, you ate my leftovers when I said not to, so I'd say we're even. Plus, you didn't call either."

Damian huffs and then they're kissing. The small pecks and pleased sighs turn into making out on the couch and small moans. 

This is where he discovers Damian's weakness, his nipples. Tim just grazes one with his hand but Damian almost whines, trying for friction against his groin. 

Tim looks at him oddly, then pushes Damian's shirt fully off his upper body and lightly pinches one of his nipples. This causes Damian to wrap his arms around his back tighter and pull his as close as possibly without laying on each other. Then a quiet, high pitched and bitten off moan escapes right into his ear and Tim isn't in the mood for teasing anymore.

The sex in it self is sort of fast and desperate but the aftermath is the calmest Tim has felt for a bit. Just laying there and trying to even out his breathing with Damian doing the same. "I missed you," he whispers into Damian's shoulder.

Damian responds with a short affirmative sound, "I have missed you as well." 

When they're cleaned up and done they find their way to Tim's bed, resuming a cuddling position.

Tim sighs, "I don't want you to leave."

Damian nods, "I need to be close to the batcave. Also, you do not nearly have the equipment necessary."

"I know, it just sucks."

Damian kisses his forehead, "it does, but we'll see each other again, often. I hope."

Tim hums. "Fuck this is nice."

Damian lets out a little laugh. "Do you prefer I call you Tim now?"

Tim gives the tiniest of nods, "yeah. Uhm, are you free tomorrow?"

"Depends what time."

"Around four."

"Probably, I still have some homework to catch up on."

"Wanna go back to that spot in Smallville?"

Damian gives him a smile, "that'd be nice."

Then he just feels he needs to ask, because it's been bothering him for a while. "Why does Bruce never call you?" When Damian looks confused he gives more context, "he called me to give me updates about the vaccine and not you."

"Oh, whenever Father used to call me it was to chastise my actions when he could not do it in person, so I stopped answering if he did not text."

Tim laughs, "that's kind of badass. Getting the big bad bat to follow your rules."

Damian smiles playfully, "he tries, every now and then, but I would say I am a bit stubborn."

Tim holds him closer, "you're so cute."

Damian seems like he's about to argue, but he doesn't. 

If they just put in a little bit of effort, both of them could make this work. And Tim's definitely willing, he's pretty sure Damian is too. Just to make sure he sits up a little and kisses him, he gets his answer when Damian doesn't hesitate for a second to kiss back. 

A definite yes.

**Author's Note:**

> I appreciate any kudos and love reading comments, even if I happen to not respond (which I do most of the time when I feel like I can say something). Thank you for reading! Have a nice day! <3


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